Media release – Save Rosny Park, 22 August 2024                                                       

Clarence Council fails to act on community feedback following Elector Poll

  • Clarence Council remains divided on the proposed AFL High Performance Centre (HPC) in Rosny. Council met on Monday 19 August for the first time since the elector poll on the proposed site of the AFL HPC.
  • Members of the group Save Rosny Parks were extremely disappointed with the response by the mayor and some councillors at the meeting, given the decisive vote against an HPC across two parks (Charles Hand Park and Rosny Parklands) and the almost equal division of votes for and against an HPC in Rosny Parklands.
  • The elector poll in July-August generated huge interest amongst the residents of Clarence. Over 63% of those eligible, voted in the poll. That is 28,482 residents which dwarfs the 758 residents who completed the consultation survey held in October 2023.
  • 65% of those who voted said they opposed an HPC across two parks. The vote was almost evenly divided on the question of an HPC in Rosny Parklands only (49% against to 51% for).
  • And yet Mayor Blomeley claims ‘the people of Clarence want to see Rosny Parklands become the home of the Tasmania Devils teams.’ (Eastern Shore News August 2024).
  • At Monday’s meeting, councillors noted the results of the poll but did not vote to withdraw any of the three models they previously offered to the Department of State Growth (DSG), all of which face substantial opposition within the municipality. Councillor James Walker observed that there had been no shift in the 7-5 vote in support of all three existing site proposals that have been put to DSG.
  • Some councillors claimed that the decision on the site wasn’t up to them and would be made by DSG. They declared that they would even support an HPC in the strongly opposed Charles Hand Park if geotechnical and environmental reports confirm that the other park (Rosny Parklands) alone is not feasible. That is insulting to the 17,846 residents who voted against this option.
  • At the start of the selection process DSG advised councils that “… it is about the surrounding community and the level of support such a facility would have at any chosen location.” (DSG Assessment Criteria)
  • Save Rosny Parks spokesperson, Terry Polglase, said “Council now has a moral duty to alert State Growth and the AFL that Council’s previous advice to DSG was based on a misunderstanding of the level of support in the Clarence community after their initial survey in October 2023. Where they claimed 64% support for the Parklands site, this turns out to be only 51%. And their claimed 42% support to build across the two parks, turns out to be only 35%. As the AFL and State Growth consider any move into Rosny parks, they need to be made aware that every second person in the street is likely to be opposed to any AFL HPC at that site.”
  • If Clarence City loses the development, this does not mean that Hobart loses out. Abandoning the Rosny site does not mean an AFL HPC won’t be built in a more suitable location. On the other hand, an HPC in Rosny means the residents of Clarence would lose precious green open spaces for future generations, and much of the vision that was developed after years of community consultation for the City Heart plan.
  • At the meeting on Monday night, Councillor Richard James urged the State Government and the AFL to listen to the community. Save Rosny Parks also calls on the State Government to listen to the community and pivot towards the Kingston site which has stronger community support. It would be a win-win for the government and would avoid more community division in Clarence.
  • Save Rosny Parks calls upon the AFL to change their preference for the Rosny site before there is harm to both the reputation and the credibility of the AFL and harm to the support enjoyed by the much-loved Tasmania Devils team.

Completely Divided over AFL Training Grounds

At Monday night’s Clarence City Council Meeting, it was hard to know who was more divided about the AFL High Performance Training Centre (HPC) in Rosny’s parklands: the community or councillors.

To recap: A group of Clarence residents triggered an elector poll to gauge the level of support for the 6-hectare AFL facility in one or both of Rosny’s Parklands. Over 28,000 voted.

65% of voters said they opposed a HPC in Charles Hand Park, and there was an almost even split 49% to 51% on the option of an HPC in Rosny Parkland (former golf course).

So, is Charles Hand Park off the table? Councillors workshopped the elector poll results prior to council meeting. The recommendation was for council to note the results.

Cr Mulder initiated the debate at council meeting. He acknowledged a clear majority opposed using Charles Hand Park but was guided by informal votes, those that didn’t vote, and those he spoke with, to calculate the numbers so that you “get an overwhelming
majority of people who either specifically wanted the golf course”….”or they left it to us to make a decision”.

Cr Hunter emphasised the strong community vote against using Charles Hand Park and suggested taking more action than “just noting it.”

Cr Hulme remains committed to all options: “If Rosny Parklands turns out to be unviable and a split site is the only option, I remain in favour of having that option open to the Department of State Growth (DSG).”

Cr Walker reminded councillors the use of Charles Hand Park was “soundly rejected” and the community is “divided down the middle with a single campus parklands model.”

Mayor Blomeley wants to save Charles Hand Park: “I agree with the 64.83% and do not believe the use of Charles Hand Park and the split-side option is the way forward. Having the centre solely located in the Rosny Parklands is clearly the community’s preference,
and it is my preference.

It is time to move forward. Respect the democratic process, respect the vote, and move forward.”

Cr Warren acknowledged the community’s strong opposition to Charles Hand Park and the nearly even split on building on Rosny Parklands.

Cr Darko stated there is no mandate to proceed, calling the proposal “highly divisive and a disservice to the community”, suggesting council should have chosen a path that all could support.”

Cr Goyne and Cr Chong thanked voters for their participation.

Cr Kennedy did not enter the debate, and Cr Ritchie was absent.

Cr James urged for the community to be heard: “I’m appealing to the department and to AFL Tasmania to look at these results…..to listen to the community and to decide to have this HPC located elsewhere.”

There was only one thing councillors could agree on: the decision was now up to AFL Tasmania and the state government.

– Christine Bayley, Montagu Bay  

Clarence City Council Meeting – 19 August 2024 Recording – Item 8.4.2 The Elector Poll AFL/AFLW High Performance Centre discussed from 1hour 12min 35sec